All three have good intentions. None of them, and none of us, want to become entangled in the personal relativity of aesthetics or the political briar patch of opposing views of government-approved art versus the artist's individual freedom. If we can differentiate between how great cities have great art, and how a small city like Athens must settle for what it can afford - and just how "great" such affordable art can be - then perhaps the gulf between the individualistic and freely done art that Thompson would like to see magically appear, and the plastic bulldogs and bus stops that, through bureaucratic channels, already have appeared on our streets, can be closed and become an advantageous compromise for us all.

Chicago is a great city with a gigantic Picasso sculpture prominently placed. Picasso gave it to Chicago. New York is a great city and has the Statue of Liberty very prominently placed. France gave it to the United States. Great art in these great cities, then, can be said to have magically appeared.

It will take a village of taxpayers to foster and promote public art in Athens - great or not so great - and it might take some generous private donors to dig into their deep pockets, too.

This isn't an "either-or" situation. Let's welcome both approaches, and hope that great art appears in Athens one way or the other.